I Care, Neya
by PikaGirl13
Summary: While switching Night Watch shifts, Neya opens up to Utsuho about her desire to reunite with the islanders she left behind to join Utsuho and Yakuma. During their talk, Neya tells Utsuho that he's changed from when they first started traveling together. Noting how he now cares more about others, which prompts a response Neya wasn't expecting. A Utsuho x Neya fluff fic.


I Care, Neya

Looking up at the diamond sky on that cold winter's night took Neya down memory lane when she first started traveling with Utsuho and Yakuma after she left the island.

" _ **Back then everything bothered me, but now I couldn't care less if I ruin my clothes**_." Neya thought to herself with a chuckle. " _ **And back then I was so concerned that Utsuho didn't even care about anyone else besides Pochi.**_ "

She heard a crack of a branch behind her, causing her to jump a little and grab her kunai knife.

"Easy jungle girl, It's just me." Utsuho said, coming out of the darkness with his hands up. "Put down the kunai knife."

Neya tilted her head slightly, "What're you doing up still?"

"It's my turn to take watch and you need your sleep. I've been watching you lately and you haven't been sleeping as much as you used to." Utsuho replied, sitting down besides her with honest eyes. "What's up?"

Blushing slightly, Neya sighed and put away her Kunai knife. " _ **I can't lie to him. He'd just figure out the truth anyways.**_ "

"To be honest, I've been thinking about the islanders. I miss them and I don't know if they're alright or if something happened to them while I was away." She admitted, returning her gaze up at the stars.

Utsuho nodded his head slightly, "It's been a while that's for sure, but I don't think you have to worry about them too much. They're tough and can take care of themselves, even those children can hold their own if push comes to shove."

"I just wish I had a way to contact them you know? But with the way the Island is, it's hard enough to just send them a letter."

"You'll see them again, and when you do they'll have a home in your village. Right? " Utsuho replied, smiling gently at her to reassure her.

Neya couldn't believe how nice he was being to her, especially since he loved teasing her constantly along with Yakuma. "You've changed, Utsuho."

"What do ya mean?"

"I mean, when we first started traveling together, all you seemed to care about was Pochi above me and Yakuma. But now you're being so considerate that I don't know if this is a good lie or real concern. You confuse me." Neya admitted, gazing into his eyes.

Utsuho didn't respond right away, he returned her gaze before he looked up at the sky and sighed. "I cared about you back then too."

" _ **Huh?**_ " Neya thought, her heart beating a little faster.

Utsuho looked back down to gaze into her eyes, "I cared about you back then along with Yakuma. I cared about you two even though I didn't show it often, but that's mostly because I'm not the sentimental type. You should know this by now."

" _ **Wow...I've never heard Utsuho this honest in my life. He's actually sounding...normal. Maybe he actually has a soft side underneath all his charades.**_ " Neya thought, blushing furiously.

Utsuho caught her off guard, "Did you really think I didn't care, Neya?"

"I-I, well... yeah." She admitted, there was no use denying that. "Because it was like Pochi was all you ever cared about back then."

All of a sudden, Utsuho brought Neya close to him and hugged her. His arms wrapped around her waist and she could feel his heart up against her chest. She could feel the touch of his head pressed against hers as he brought her in for a surprise embrace.

"I care, Neya."

Neya couldn't speak. Her voice wouldn't let her ruin this moment with something stupid coming out of her mouth. So she answered by wrapping her arms around him and reciprocating the hug. This really was out of the norm for Utsuho. But she didn't care anymore, because it showed that he was changing as a person.

Releasing her, Utsuho placed his hands on top of her shoulders and smiled. "Now, off to bed before you look even more like the boogieman."

" _ **That's the Utsuho I know**_." Neya thought with a chuckle.

Hitting him on the shoulder, she told him goodnight as she left to lay down with Iwashi and Minamo. Feeling Utsuho's embrace all around her body and rocking her to sleep as she slowly closed her eyes. Certain now that Utsuho really cares about her.


End file.
